Surgical “retraction” is the drawing back of body tissue. When the operation involves making an incision, the incision itself often must be retracted. During surgery, internal organs, bones and tissues are intermittently retracted through the opening created in the retracted incision.
In certain surgeries, an assistant's fingers are used as retractor paddles. However, greater technical ease is available through the use of various mechanical retractor systems. Mechanical retractor systems can be divided into two major groups: externally mounted “fixed” to the operating table and self-retaining retractors.
The mechanical systems attached to the operating table present the same type of physical obstruction to the surgeon's movement as presented by the assistant's body, arms and hands since the externally fixed retractor systems of a vertical column, supporting arm(s) or ring and retractor paddles attached thereto. The retractor paddles, support arms or ring and vertical column in these apparatus are adjustable in multiple planes and axes of motion; however, these retractor paddles are not all independently adjustable in the vertical plane. Movement of a support arm or ring of these apparatus necessitates movement of all retractor paddles attached thereto.
Ideally, mechanical retractors, both externally mounted and self retaining, need to provide for internal organ and tissue retraction, be quickly and easily assembled, positioned and repositioned in all planes and axes of motion, present as little obstruction to the surgeon's movement as possible, protect the sterile field, diminish the risk of tissue trauma and yet be stable enough to function adequately while reducing the need for assistance.
Self-retaining retractors that have attempted to provide for internal organ and tissue retraction through the open incision have failed to permit quick, independent, easy and safe adjustment of internal organ and tissue retractor paddles in all planes and axes of motion, and in effect the prior art is either ineffectual or unsafe, or both since these paddles are not easily adjustable in the vertical plane and such internal organ and tissue retractor paddles must traverse over (or through) internal tissue before reaching the desired location along the retractor handle and/or frame. The retractor paddle depth is not highly variable and the retractor paddles' location on the retractor frame is limited.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to such retractors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,610, issued on May 28, 1996 to Giglio, describes a self-retaining retractor. This retractor includes flexible, resilient retractor paddles which can be placed into the incision. A rigid frame is provided which includes two interlocking halves laid longitudinally over the incision. The incision retractor paddles are manually clipped to each frame half, and then the frame halves are opened to the desired extent. The incision retractor paddles and the frame provide the apparatus with stability for retraction of internal organs and tissues through the open incision by the addition of mounting jigs containing adjustment posts onto mounting means which radiate outwardly from the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,777, issued on Aug. 3, 1999 to G. A. Sava, teaches a tissue retractor with particular use in spinal surgery. This tissue retractor includes a pair of pivotally linked arms, each with a blade mounted thereto by a ball-and-socket joint so as to allow free movement of the blades relative of the arms. The blades have an anchoring end to anchor to the bone. The retractor is operable by placing the blades in a wound opening, securing the anchoring ends to a portion of the bone in a position apart from each other, and operating the retractor to cause the blades to separate and to retract tissues surrounding the wound opening by outward pivoting of the blades relative to the position of the anchoring ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,343, issued on Jun. 13, 2000 to Nathanson et al., describes a surgical tissue retractor comprised of a plurality of retractor blades that can be operated simultaneously. Right and left retractor blades are mounted on an actuator mechanism that spreads or expands the blades as a rotatable primary actuator knob is rotated. A third retractable arm is mounted for simultaneous operation with the right and left retractor blade or independent operation through a secondary rotatable actuator knob that extends or retracts a threaded shaft attached to the center retractor blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,043, issued on Jul. 18, 2000 to Austin et al., describes a tissue retractor including a hook, a handle and an elastomeric band. The hook has a tissue-engaging portion and is retained by the handle such that the tissue engaging portion extends from a first end of the handle. The handle end of the band is retained by a second end of the handle. The back has a longitudinal body and at least one hub disposed about the body.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a circumferential retractor apparatus which properly maintains the incision in an open position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a circumferential retractor apparatus which minimizes damage to the tissues along the edges of the incision.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a circumferential retractor apparatus which can provide immediate feedback to the surgeon as to the amount of tension that is applied to the retracted tissues.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a circumferential retractor apparatus which is stably supported on the skin.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a circumferential retractor apparatus which is easy to use, relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a circumferential retractor apparatus which is disposable.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.